Scan 65
The American History and Encyclopedia of Music, 1924
6 lines. Read by computer on 15 September 2026. Printed page 45. See the scan on archive.org.
1The Assyrians have left behind them representations of their instruments, and a few remains have been found in the excavations at Nineveh. No corresponding names having been discovered, those of the similar instruments of other countries have been assigned to these ancient relics.
3On the other hand, the ancient Hebrews had but one instrument that is known to the modern world, the shophar. The Bible abounds in musical references and names of instruments, but throughout the pages there is no word of description. At times the names are in Hebrew, and at others in Chaldean, hence their etymologies are impossible to trace, and each translator has added a shade of meaning clear only to himself. This state of affairs has created such havoc that sackbut and other modern names figure in the Old Testament. Volumes have been written in the effort to make the subject clear, but without success, for there is nothing tangible upon which to base the deductions.
5To some extent the careless naming of instruments has continued to the present time. As distinctive features were added in the process of evolution, the name, perhaps descriptive of the older instrument, was not immediately discarded, and the transition from the old to the new was so gradual as to render distinction difficult. Even for the enlightened there are pitfalls, and the use of names is dangerous for the slipshod novelist. The musically wise have at times culled the blunders thereby occurring, and have cast them before the public with facetious comments. Some are dank and mouldy and need not be disturbed, but the general writer is ever attracted by the alluring names. Shakespeare trod upon the treacherous ground without serious mishap, but he can be classed alone. Tennyson has been harshly upbraided for his flute, violin and bassoon combination which furnished the music for the ball. Orchestration for this limited group would be indeed difficult, and the somber growls of the bassoon would rather overpower than blend with the delicate voices of the violin and the flute.
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